My father's love
by suekosa
Summary: When Luke goes off to war, a man brings up a memory between father and son rather than uncle and nephew


My father's love.

Author's notes: I was just thinking about father/child relationships when I was writing this so I hope you enjoy this.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or the song " You'll be in my heart" by Phil collins

Dedicated to: All Fathers and father type figures.

Also to my daddy, whom I always love and to my late grandpa, who has and will never be forgotten. I love you daddy. I love you grandpa, I miss you, with love from your daughter and granddaughter: Katy D- age 14 ½.

Luke sat down on the bus seat. He was going to Vietnam. As the bus started to pull away, he could see the sad look on his Uncle Jesse's face, thinking about the fact that he may never see his oldest nephew again. Jesse had Bo in his arms for a hug. The bus was moving further away from the station and the last thing he saw was Bo sobbing in his arms while Jesse rubbed his back.

" This seat taken?" An older man asked. The man appeared to be somewhere in his late 40's.

" No" was all Luke could manage as reality hit him. The reality he may never return home to his family. Luke wanted so desperately to cry but he couldn't, at least not on the bus.

" Hard isn't it?" the man asked.

" Yeah" Luke agreed.

" My name is Jamie Norstan" the man said as he held out his hand for a shake.

" Luke Duke" Luke said as he shook the older man's hand.

" How old are you? 18? 19?" Jamie asked.

" Just turned 18 in April, sir" Luke said.

" Please, just Jamie will do, I have enough neighborhood kids calling me that" Jamie moaned.

Come stop your crying  
It will be all right  
Just take my hand Hold it tight

I will protect you  
from all around you  
I will be here  
Don't you cry

For one so small,  
you seem so strong  
My arms will hold you,  
keep you safe and warm  
This bond between us  
Can't be broken  
I will be here  
Don't you cry

" Was that your sister and brother saying goodbye to you?" Jamie asked.

" No, they're my cousins and the older man was my Uncle Jesse" Luke explained, hoping that Jamie didn't ask questions about why he'd been living with his uncle and not his parents.

" Have you always lived in Georgia?" Jamie asked.

" Yeah, have you?" Luke asked.

" Who me? Nah, I'm from Minnesota and besides I really don't have time to travel anyways, I've got 4 little boys waitin' for their daddy to come home" Jamie explained.

" What are their names?" Luke asked. Jamie pulled out a photo album and pointed to a family photo.

" My oldest is 16 and his name is Jordan, the next one is 11 almost 12 and his name is Nicholas, this one is 8 and his name is Samuel and this little one here is Dakota and he is 3" Jamie explained.

Luke noticed that Dakota wasn't looking at the camera, he looked as if he was in a trance of some kind. Luke stared at the little boy's photo for a second and pulled away, slightly embarrassed for staring.

" He's autistic, he lives in his own little world" Jamie said calmly.

Luke nodded. They would stop tomorrow morning to get some food. The military base was all the way in Mt. Kisco, New York. Luke closed his eyes and went to sleep. ( A/N: Which actor was born here?)

Luke age 9 years old.

Luke had been on the farm for 8 years now and he had plenty of accidents and illnesses but this one was by far his worst.

It had been an ordinary day even for Hazzard County. 9 year old Luke Duke sat at the table picking at his warm oatmeal. Luke loved Uncle Jesse's oatmeal because Jesse added a secret ingredient that made any oatmeal taste great.

Daisy who was 7 at the time noticed that he didn't look very well, she asked him before if he didn't feel good but he said he had felt fine.

But what Daisy didn't know was what Bo had knowledge of. He had seen Luke walk out of the room at a quick pace, holding his stomach. Bo, being 3 was curious to where his older cousin was going so he climbed out of bed and stuck his head out the door in time to see Luke going into the bathroom.

Bo had been taught that if someone had gone into the bathroom, they wanted privacy to do what they needed to do and if and only if Bo saw flames coming from the door that would be the only time he would be aloud to go in there if anybody else was in there.

Bo heard strange noises coming from inside the forbidden room. A part of him deep down knew what this was but he couldn't remember now.

Uncle Jesse had also taught him that he was not to make comments or jokes about the noises that someone made when they went to the bathroom.

Bo went back to bed. Bo really had to think about asking Luke about the noises he was making in the bathroom but decided against it.

Luke's bus pulled up and he walked out, as did Daisy to her bus.

The movements of the bus were juggling the butterflies in Luke's stomach around even further than they already were. 15 more minutes, just 15 more.

'Cause you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on  
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart  
No matter what they say  
You'll be here in my heart, always

Why can't they understand  
the way we feel  
They just don't trust  
what they can't explain  
I know we're different but,  
deep inside us  
We're not that different at all

Luke got into the classroom and sat down at his desk. The teacher gave the instructions to the math they had. After that Luke decided to ask Mr. Zeli if he could go and lay down at the nurse's office.

" Mr. Zeli may I go lay down at the nurse's office, my stomach hurts" Luke said.

" You can once you finish your math assignment" Mr. Zeli said in a kind tone. Luke liked his teacher, but he was frustrated right now. It would be hopeless to ask him again.

Luke got not 7 feet away from his teacher's desk when his stomach decided to flip its lid. Luke stopped walking and didn't hear his teacher talking to him.

" Uhhhh" Luke moaned as he held his stomach. He tried to walk a little further but his teacher had him by his arm.

" Did you hear me Luke? I asked if you were alright?" Mr. Zeli asked.

When Luke tried to move away from his teacher, he threw up all over himself.

The class was making loud comments on how disgusting it all was.

Mr. Zeli brought Luke down to the nurse's office, where he waited to get picked up by his uncle.

And you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on  
Now and forever more

Don't listen to them  
'Cause what do they know  
We need each other,  
to have, to hold  
They'll see in time  
I know

When destiny calls you  
You must be strong  
I may not be with you  
But you've got to hold on  
They'll see in time  
I know  
We'll show them together

When Jesse had arrived he'd ushered Luke into the car and brought him home. Bo was standing in the kitchen with the Miz Tizdale. He had dismissed Miz Tizdale and brought Luke into the bathroom and left the door open.

He removed vomit covered clothing from his nephew's body. He lifted Luke into the bathtub gently. Jesse gently washed Luke's body with warm soap and water. Luke didn't do anything but sit there, watching his uncle gently take care of him when he could not.

There was a small knock on the door and a small blond head poked just around the corner of the door.

" Luke is it alright if Bo comes in the bathroom" Jesse asked Luke in a comforting tone.

Luke nodded groggily.

Bo walked over to his uncle cautiously. He stood by his uncle and had a concerned look on his face.

" Is Luke okay?" Bo asked.

" He'll be fine, just a little sick is all Bo" Jesse said and sent Bo on his way.

Once he finished giving Luke a bath and getting him in his pajamas, he picked him up and brought him to bed. When Jesse set him down in his bed, he noticed tears running down the boy's cheeks.

He didn't ask questions just sat on the bed and held him in his lap and rocked him. He talked in a soft voice and rubbed his back in slow circles, letting the child cry out his embarrassment. Luke finally stopped sobbing and when Jesse was about to leave, begged him to stay until he fell asleep. Jesse sat by Luke and stroked his head.

Later that night Luke told him about what happened at school and why he'd cried.

Jamie noticed a small smile on his face and soon he was asleep as well.

'Cause you'll be in my heart  
Yes, you'll be in my heart  
From this day on,  
Now and forever more

Oh, you'll be in my heart  
No matter what they say  
You'll be in my heart, always  
Always

THE END

Author's notes: read and review


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